Mitigating Paint Blistering Defects in Aluminum Casted Parts: A QC Story Approach Utilizing Computed Tomography

Blistering in aesthetic parts poses a significant challenge, affecting overall appearance and eroding brand image from the customer's perspective and blister defects disrupt painting line efficiency, resulting in increased rework and rejection rates. This paper investigates the causes and effects of blistering, particularly in the context of internal soundness of Aluminium castings, emphasizing the crucial role of Computed Tomography in defect analysis. Computed Tomography is an advanced Non-Destructive Testing technique used to examine the internal soundness of a material. This study follows a structured 7-step QC story approach, from problem identification to standardization, to accurately identify the root Cause and implement corrective actions to eliminate blister defect. The findings reveal a strong link between internal soundness and surface quality. Based on the root cause, changes in the casting process and die design were made to improve internal soundness, leading to reduced rework and rejection rates in the paint shop. Keywords: Non-Destructive Testing, Computed Tomography, Advanced Radiography, Paint Blistering, Die Casting